The health care system in Italy compared to the health care system in America is completely different from one another. Italy and America take two completely different approaches to a health care system which is supported by income tax and the private health sector (Glauco). In America the public health system is restricted to Medicare and Medicaid, which in turn means the private health insurance is the main source of health coverage (Glauco). The citizens of Italy pay approximately 50% of their income tax in order to receive free health coverage (Glauco). To some, Italy’s health care system may seem more reasonable. However, the system can become tricky, since the free healthcare is limited to emergency services and general practitioner visits (Glauco). Any specialty doctor visit has a cost as well as some prescriptions …show more content…
Since healthcare in America is expensive, many people choose to go without coverage. Other negative issues that raise questions amongst Italian citizens are that Italy spends a significantly lower amount on health care than the other fifteen European countries, which allocate 9.2 % of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Bruttomesso). This status puts the Italian health care system ranked second in the nation, therefore the question rises, why is there so many limits and lack of development (Bruttomesso)? The main reason that Italy’s national health care system was made available was to provide equality amongst distribution of health care (Bruttomesso). However, some Italian citizens are starting to question if the equal distribution is worth it or are they willing to do without it, considering the financing circumstances (Bruttomesso). It seems the issues of unequal distribution are not improving, which seem to suggest that policies remain unsuccessful at finding a solution
"Viaggiando manterrà il vostro cuore giovane nella vostra mente forte," was one of the many inspirational quotes told to me by my Italian grandmother. Storytelling was her forte. And it is because of these stories of her life that I developed an obsession for Italy and travel. Full of energy and complete wanderlust, she lived life to the fullest, passing away at 94. I often wonder if her long life had anything to do with growing up in Italy, and whether her lifestyle choices varied significantly from that of American culture. From a business perspective, GDP is an oftentimes used term to describe the government’s spending habits. And as a business major intent on making a positive difference in our society, I can’t help but wonder why Italians have a much longer lifespan, yet spend nearly half of what the United States do on their health care system.
According to editorial one, universal health care is a right that every American should be able to obtain. The author provides the scenario that insurance companies reject people with preexisting conditions and that people typically wait to receive health care until it's too much of a problem due to the extreme costs. Both of these scenarios are common among Americans so the author uses those situations to appeal to the readers' emotions. Editorial one also includes logical evidence that America could follow Canada's and Europe's universal health care systems because both of those nations are excelling in it.
On a global scale, the United States is a relatively wealthy country of advanced industrialization. Unfortunately, the healthcare system is among the costliest, spending close to 18% of gross domestic product (GDP) towards funding healthcare (2011). No universal healthcare coverage is currently available. United States healthcare is currently funded through private, federal, state, and local sources. Coverage is provided privately and through the government and military. Nearly 85% of the U.S. population is covered to some extent, leaving a population of close to 48 million without any type of health insurance. Cost is the primary reason for lack of insurance and individuals foregoing medical care and use of prescription medications.
Out of all the industrialized countries in the world, the United States is the only one that doesn’t have a universal health care plan (Yamin 1157). The current health care system in the United States relies on employer-sponsored insurance programs or purchase of individual insurance plans. Employer-sponsored coverage has dropped from roughly 80 percent in 1982 to a little over 60 percent in 2006 (Kinney 809). The government does provide...
Despite the established health care facilities in the United States, most citizens do not have access to proper medical care. We must appreciate from the very onset that a healthy and strong nation must have a proper health care system. Such a health system should be available and affordable to all. The cost of health services is high. In fact, the ...
In America the affordability and equality of access to healthcare is a crucial topic of debate when it comes to one's understanding of healthcare reform. The ability for a sick individual to attain proper treatment for their ailments has reached the upper echelons of government. Public outcry for a change in the handling of health insurance laws has aided in the establishment of the Affordable Healthcare Law (AHCL) to ensure the people of America will be able to get the medical attention they deserve as well as making that attention more affordable, as the name states. Since its creation, the AHCL has undergone scrutiny towards its effects on the government and its people; nevertheless, the new law must not be dismantled due to its function as a cornerstone of equal-opportunity healthcare, and if such a removal is allowed, there will be possibly detrimental effects on taxes, the economy, and poor people.
Health insurance, too many American citizens, is not an option. However, some citizens find it unnecessary. Working in the health care field, I witness the effects of uninsured patients on medical offices. Too often, I see a “self-pay” patient receive care from their doctor and then fail to pay for it. Altogether, their refusal to pay leaves the office at a loss of money and calls for patients to pay extra in covering for the cost of the care the uninsured patient received. One office visit does not seem like too big of an expense, but multiple patients failing to pay for the care they receive adds up. Imagine the hospital bills that patients fail to pay; health services in a hospital are double, sometimes triple, in price at a hospital. It is unfair that paying patients are responsible for covering these unpaid services. Luckily, the Affordable Care Act was passed on March 23, 2010, otherwise known as Obamacare. Obamacare is necessary in America because it calls for all citizens to be health insured, no worrying about pre-existing conditions, and free benefits for men and women’s health.
Healthcare plays an important role in almost every person’s life at one point or another. Many times, one can get caught without, or underinsured and it can be detrimental to their livelihood. With the rising cost of healthcare, it is likely that having a national healthcare policy in place, and as an individual, being able to afford and obtain adequate health insurance has not been required until now. With the new national healthcare plan, it is required for all citizens to obtain and maintain some sort of public or private insurance policy. The rising costs can be attributed to many things. A significant reason for the astronomical cost of health care is because of the staggering amount of uninsured or underinsured individuals receiving medical attention and almost many never paying the bill. Those who do have insurance have seen a gradual increase in their premiums and deductibles to make up for this.
To further understand the US healthcare system and put in context how health coverage is provided to its population it is important to compare the US health system to another country like the Netherlands. In the Netherlands healthcare coverage has been achieved through competitive insurance markets similar to the US and the Dutch government does not control prices, productive capacity or funds but instead only acts as a regulator (Daley & Gubb, 2011). In 2006 the Dutch government held healthcare reforms because the country faced an issue that was very similar to the US, in regards to healthcare coverage inequalities, the population was covered through private and public health insurance, with stable private health insurance for the wealthy and unstable public insurance which lacked patient focus and was inefficient in comparison (Daley & Gubb, 2011). Many factors called for healthcare reformation in the Netherlands like a disarranged structure that ineffectively controlled cream skimming, lack of competitive incentives that for insurance companies resulting in bad performance, and the rising premiums
Health care can benefit everyone and their different income values. Health care should be required and the risk of spending on insurance should be taken even if many Americans believe they do not need health insurance. There are always possibilities of emergencies occurring and in need of insurance for the high costs of medical care. I personally believe and argued my opinion that health care needs to be required for everyone. To conclude my argument, I have argued that there are more benefits to have healthcare insurance required and that everyone in America deserves a happy and healthy
“Free medical services would encourage patients to practice preventive medicine and inquire about problems early when treatment will be light; currently, patients often avoid.” (Messerli)
I emphasize the “doctor and patient” example because it is a common issue I frequently read, happening in those Countries that do not offer free access to cares. Italy grants open access to medical care, both Emergency and General Practitioner and of course we are lucky. In the contrary, it is a source of public debate because of its huge costs in the National expense balance. To cut straight to the point, there are endless polemics about the definition of “basic cares”, so that this diatribe obfuscates essential ethics. Again, Kant's theories start to help us, since humankind is not a mean, and money is not an universal end. I know the Italian reality and our system ought to focus on its organization, rather than the reduction of its care assistance. Evidence of this is the following organizational chart of the Italian health care system; it looks complex, do you agree? To the other side, even if there are some things to fix, it demonstrates that it can be achieved (cit. Commonwealth
Italy is a developed country in Europe with a population of 59.83 million people. Life expectancy is the second highest in Europe and ranks tenth in the world, having an average lifespan of 82.2 years. Italian healthcare has been universal since 1978 and has remained effective ever since. Italy is ranked as the second best healthcare system, just behind France. There are many factors that ensure the effectiveness of the Italian healthcare system, such as government funding and individual cost, private insurance companies, medical technology, and preventative measures and the spread of diseases.
In terms of access, everyone is required to buy and maintain health care within the first 3 months of living within the country. If one cannot afford insurance, the government subsidizes for low-income families. This is extremely important to make sure everyone has health care. Access again is obtained based on what canton on...
Italy is beautiful and a wonderful place to visit with so many breathtaking scenes, including many ancient sites. It has a very interesting history, and very neat variety of cultures, religions, and languages. The food is amazing and has a good twist to it. Many challenges and issues remain unsolved and remain a problem. Despite the issues it is still a great place to visit.